This invention involves a device and method of using the device to facilitate essentially all exercise of a person's hand and wrist. More specifically, the device definitely aids in wrist flexion and extension as well as ulnar and radial deviation, and is even effective for supination and pronation of the hand and wrist.
The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome is a relatively common malady among persons using the wrist and hands, including typists, dental hygienists, piece workers, chiropractors, meat cutters and the like. Carpal tunnel syndrome involves breakdown of the tunnel such that the median nerve is aggravated or possibly injured in contact with the bones of the wrist. Surgery has certainly not always been successful and entails risk. Immobilization cocks the wrist to take pressure off the median nerve. While a variety of treatments have been suggested, including surgery, none of the treatments provide an absolute answer to the problem. Further, racket sports such as tennis and racquetball sometimes cause the player to strain a tendon, pull a muscle and generally suffer from various ailments grouped under the title "Tennis Elbow". Manipulation can in many cases improve the positioning of the bones and ligaments to reduce pressure on the median nerve. Physical therapy including ultrasound is sometimes effective in combination with other techniques. Absolute abstinence from using the hand and arm is sometimes prescribed. Stretching and strengthening exercises have been recommended and are effective in treating the syndrome. However, the techniques are difficult to master to achieve the best results.
Various devices such as the hand and wrist exercising device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,531 to Mikhail Niks describes a device which is used to exercise the wrist through a pronation and supination movement. The exerciser device described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,819,081 to John Touraine describes a device also to exercise the wrist and arm in a rotating movement. None of the above devices or any of the various treatments have provided a satisfactory solution alone or in combination to treat tennis elbow and/or carpal tunnel syndrome.